Even more call Southbank home

08 Apr 2016

The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that Southbank’s current estimated population is 18,192.

According to the ABS data, a population increase of 1300 inhabitants in Southbank occurred between 2014 and 2015.

The findings show that Southbank’s 8 per cent growth was the fourth highest amongst inner-Melbourne suburbs. Docklands experienced the most growth with 8.8 per cent, followed by Collingwood (8.6) and the CBD (8.3).

Southbank also reinforced its title as Australia’s densest suburb, with figures showing that an extra 440 inhabitants per square metre were added to our suburb over the past year.

Southbank Residents’ Association president Tony Penna said that while he wasn’t surprised by the surge in Southbank’s population, it did emphasise how desperately more public open space and community infrastructure was required.

Updates regarding the City Rd master plan, Southbank Boulevard transformation and Riverside Quay urban renewal project are expected to be provided by the City of Melbourne in the coming months, while plans for Boyd Park still remain uncertain.

Planning Minister Richard Wynne said, given the increases, improving access to services in the city would be essential in the ongoing efforts to cater for growth.

“We need to make sure housing is available to everyone, delivering housing options through the city with the access to education, health services and transport people deserve,” he said.

The State Government has targeted improving housing affordability by encouraging development across the city and Mr Wynne said proper planning was required.

“We are the world’s most liveable city. People are naturally drawn to Melbourne and we need to plan accordingly,” he said.

More generally, the latest figures show Melbourne’s population growth went up 2.1 per cent – adding 91,600 people during the year.

Despite being down from 2.2 per cent from the year prior, Melbourne is still experiencing the nation’s fastest growth, ahead of Darwin, which is growing at 1.9 per cent.

Plans to develop an extra 640 hectares of land within five km of the CBD are currently under review.